# Best animated Disney movie soundtrack? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 18, 2013, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-disney-movie-soundtrack/666598 "2013-08-18T23:15:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2013, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-disney-movie-soundtrack/666598/1 "2013-08-18T23:15:52Z")
Was watching Tarzan today and thinking to myself that this is the tightest, best soundtrack slash score to any Disney animated movie. Phil Collins really nailed it with the theme song. Of course Elton John kind of changed the game with Lion King, bringing legitimacy to animated movie soundtracks. Clearly Phil Collins wins this but which Disney animated movie has the best soundtrack? ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2013, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-disney-movie-soundtrack/666598/2 "2013-08-18T23:22:14Z")
I liked the Little Mermaid’s soundtrack actually. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2013, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-disney-movie-soundtrack/666598/3 "2013-08-18T23:24:40Z")
Jungle Book ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2013, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-disney-movie-soundtrack/666598/4 "2013-08-18T23:32:53Z")
Aladdin, I think I still have it on tape somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2013, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-disney-movie-soundtrack/666598/5 "2013-08-18T23:33:13Z")
Little Mermaid Hunchback of Notre Dame Beauty and the Beast Howard Ashman beat Elton John to the legitimacy punch. ---
**Author:** ![shantih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shantih](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shantih)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-disney-movie-soundtrack/666598/6 "2013-08-19T00:13:57Z")
Beauty and the Beast, hands down. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-disney-movie-soundtrack/666598/7 "2013-08-19T00:25:17Z")
I’m guessing Fantasia and Fantasia 2000 shouldn’t count, as they weren’t written for the movies. Pinocchio has the best Disney song, IMHO, “When You Wish Upon A Star”. For a whole soundtrack, I’d say Aladdin, with Beauty and the Beast a very close second. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-disney-movie-soundtrack/666598/8 "2013-08-19T01:08:03Z")
> [@Dr.Girlfriend](#): > > Aladdin, I think I still have it on tape somewhere. That was my first thought as well. Also, Gnomeo & Juliet, but that’s essentially a bunch of Elton John songs with a couple of new ones tossed in. I was a bit surprised a year ago or so when I was in the car singling along with Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting and my daughter said “Daddy this is the song from Gnomeo And Juliet”. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-disney-movie-soundtrack/666598/9 "2013-08-19T01:11:39Z")
A much, much lesser offering, but I am very fond of “The Rescuers” and both the opening music (following the message in a bottle) and the trip cross-country aboard Orville. Very nice music. (Even the “Rescue Aid Society” hymn is nifty!) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-disney-movie-soundtrack/666598/10 "2013-08-19T02:06:15Z")
Hm – all new movies. I grew up on **Mary Poppins**. Whatever you may feel about what the Disney crew did to Travers’ story, The brothers Sherman produced one fine soundtrack, with “Chim Chiminee”, “A Spoonful of Sugar”, “The Old Bird Woman”, and “Let’s Go Fly a Kite”, among others. I don’t think I’ve liked a higher proportion of songs from any other Disney film. That said, I really do like a lot of the songs from the more recent Disney featires – ever since _the Little Mermaid_, there’s been more than one good song from _Lion King_, _Beauty and the Beast_, and_Aladdin_ ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-disney-movie-soundtrack/666598/11 "2013-08-19T02:31:40Z")
Mary Poppins is primarily live action, so out of the realm of the OP. I can’t think of a single Disney movie where the soundtrack as a whole stuck with me. Alice in Wonderland, Aladdin and the Little Mermaid win for the most songs I could sing if asked (2 each\*). Tangled, Alice in Wonderland, Lady and the Tramp, and Lion King for single songs I really love\*\*. - Alice: The Unbirthday Song, I’m Late Aladdin: Arabian Nights, A Whole New World Little Mermaid: Kiss the Girl, Under the Sea (I may be able to hum along with Poor Unfortunate Souls, but that’s it.) \*\* Mother Knows Best, The Unbirthday Song, The Siamese Cat Song (even with it’s slight racist aspects, it’s fun), Hakuna Matata. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-disney-movie-soundtrack/666598/12 "2013-08-19T02:50:52Z")
I like the soundtracks of _Beauty and the Beast_, _Tarzan_, and _Lion King_. But the best song in the whole of Disney animation is [Hellfire](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqGL9B_TPTI) from _Hunchback of Notre Dame_. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-disney-movie-soundtrack/666598/13 "2013-08-19T03:02:05Z")
Hands down, **Pinocchio** , not just because of the terrific songs, but the underscore through the rest of the film (especially the Pleasure Island sequences) is magnificent. Props to **Dumbo** , which won the score Oscar and Jerry Goldsmith’s incredible work on **Mulan** (note: again, talking about the score; the songs are only so-so). ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-disney-movie-soundtrack/666598/14 "2013-08-19T03:11:26Z")
I’ve gotta go with “The Incredibles.” The final credits perfectly capture the sort of 60s/70s brass-heavy themes the cartoon is set in. My favorite, and the only soundtrack I liked enough to buy. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-disney-movie-soundtrack/666598/15 "2013-08-19T03:29:47Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > That said, I really do like a lot of the songs from the more recent Disney featires – ever since _the Little Mermaid_, there’s been more than one good song from _Lion King_, _Beauty and the Beast_, and_Aladdin_ I like all of those sound tracks, but none of them is recent. The newest is 19 years old. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-disney-movie-soundtrack/666598/16 "2013-08-19T03:33:05Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > I like the soundtracks of _Beauty and the Beast_, _Tarzan_, and _Lion King_. But the best song in the whole of Disney animation is [Hellfire](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqGL9B_TPTI) from _Hunchback of Notre Dame_. I say a lot of nasty things about Hunchback. But the soundtrack, and especially Hellfire and the opening number (Bells of Notre Dame), are marvelous. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-disney-movie-soundtrack/666598/17 "2013-08-19T03:54:39Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > I like all of those sound tracks, but none of them is recent. The newest is 19 years old. _The Little Mermaid_ marked an era-shift. It was kind of a rebirth of sorts after about a decade of floundering (ha!) in the dissipating wake of the Nine Old Men era. Considering that the Nine Old Men era lasted for 50 years, it’s not so out of place to call _The Little Mermaid_ one of the “newer” films. I think many people do count from that starting point when discussing the newer era. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-disney-movie-soundtrack/666598/18 "2013-08-19T04:02:35Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > the Nine Old Men era lasted for 50 years I mispelled “40” but the point remains. _Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs_ 1937 to _The Rescuers_ 1977. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-disney-movie-soundtrack/666598/19 "2013-08-19T04:10:10Z")
FWIW, it is hard to beat the Lion King soundtrack in units sold. > **[The Lion King (disambiguation)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lion_King_%28soundtrack%29)** > > The Lion King is a 1994 animated Disney film. > The Lion King may also refer to: > [@](#): > > The soundtrack shipped over 10 million copies in the U.S. and eventually went 10x platinum in 1995, thus becoming the biggest-selling soundtrack ever from an animated film. Its certification was promoted to Diamond when the award was instituted in 1999. Aladdin IIRC is in second place for Disney. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-disney-movie-soundtrack/666598/20 "2013-08-19T04:31:45Z")
Of those I’ve seen, I’m going to have to go with Aladdin. I can’t guarantee that one I haven’t seen might not be better, though. Now, granted, “A Whole New World” got way overplayed, but it seems like every decent movie soundtrack ends up with at least one overplayed song. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-animated-disney-movie-soundtrack/666598.md?page=2)